Kilmarnock Willow help and advice please.

I bought a Kilmarnock Willow towards the end of last year. It lives in a pot on my patio and seems very happy. I have had the 'catkins' and now it's covered in leaves. I have 2 questions;

1)...How long do the leaves last?

2)...The advice lable said to prune by 2/3rds at end of 'flowering' but I have read that they are best left unpruned?

Which advice should I follow?

Many thanks to you all again..................CONFUSED of poole!

 

Am I right in thinking that if left unpruned it eventually reaches the ground and starts to look awful.l

 

Yes, but it makes a great hideaway for small children!:D

 

As I have no children, it sounds to me as though I should perhaps prune by a 3rd. When is best time to do this?

 

I'd do it now, then the new growth will go on to "flower" next spring.

 

Hi Pete, even though the willow is covered in leaves? Sorry to be a pain!

 

yes, it wont hurt, not a pain, it does seem wrong to cut some plants back during the growing season but with early spring flowering shrubs that flower on the previous seasons growth its normal to prune immediately after flowering.
The new growth then flowers next year.

If you prune during the winter you cut off flowering wood and ruin the display.

 

dave a Willow is for life, i take it you have never hurd the folk tale that follows willow? ile not tell it!! but trust me never kill it!! i trust there are others on this forum that know about this tale of the willow?

 

Ok I will then. The branches are reaching the top of the pot (so would be ground level, if in the ground) that doesnt sound right, hope you know what I mean. So how much should I take off then.

 

I've read that Marley and it sounds a bit contradictory.

It says catkins only form on young growth, but it tells you to prune in winter.

How do you prune in winter without cutting off the young growth

It also says prune out any rubbing growth, I imagine that such a congested plant is full of rubbing growth.

I think they just copied this from a text book.

If Dave's is touching the ground now where will it go this summer?

 

Its just that I would prune now.
I maybe wrong, but pruning now makes sense to me.

The site in the link states pruning in winter.

I would hate to give Dave any bad info.
So Dave perhaps its best you follow the winter prune idea.

 

Ooeerrr now I AM confused............it doesnt take much. I must say that I have tried to reserch this and have found conflicting advice on several sites.